Southword is a literary journal featuring poems, fiction and reviews and published biannually by the Munster Literature Centre. Current issues are available free to read online, beginning with Issue 16. Back issues in print are available from the online bookstore for purchase. To keep up to date with the publication year-round, join our Southword Facebook Group:
Payment & Reviews Policy
Because Southword writers are paid, the amount of articles, poems etc. published is limited by budget. The managing editor has a large panel of reviewers to draw on and cannot consider unsolicited reviews. Publishers should take note that Southword’s limited review space is almost exclusively reserved for books by Munster-born and resident authors and books by other authors cannot be considered. We also regret we cannot guarantee to publish reviews of all Munster-interest books submitted. Munster authors who would like to be reviewed in Southword can email a query letter to reviews editor Patrick Cotter at munsterlit(at)eircom(dot)net. Please do not send in your book until asked to by the editor.
Southword pays contributors €30 per poem and €120 per short story. Payment to writers within the Republic of Ireland is made by cheque. Writers abroad must accept payment through Paypal.
How to Submit to Southword Journal
Now accepting submissions of poetry and short stories
in English and Gaeilge until March 18, 2014.
in English and Gaeilge until March 18, 2014.
1. Click here to go to Southword's Submittable page.
2. Click on Poetry, Fiction or Litríocht as Gaeilge taking note of the submission guidelines (which also appear below). IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU CHOOSE THE CORRECT CATEGORY, otherwise your submission may not be delived to the correct editor.
3. Create your profile. (Click 'Create account and continue'.)
4. Follow the form instructions on attaching your work and creating your bio / cover letter.
Submission Guidelines
Southword has published the likes of Haruki Murakami, James Lasdun, and Colm Toibín if you would like to join their esteemed company carefully read the directions which follow.
1. All manuscripts must be sent via Submittable in the appropriate categories, during open reading times only. Submissions are no longer accepted by post, as Southword is now an online journal. The previous email addresses for poetry/fiction editors should be removed from your contacts as they are no longer the location to send submissions.
2. Work should be submitted in one of the following file formats: .doc, .docx, .txt, .rtf. If sending multiple poems, please submit each poem in separate documents. (This allows you & the judge to withdraw, reject or accept pieces individually). There is a strict submission limit of six poems or two short fiction pieces of 3000 words each. Authors are paid €30 per poem and/or €120 per story published in Southword Journal. If the writer lives outside of Ireland, they will be paid by Paypal. (Information on how to set up a Paypal account: http://www.paypal.com ).
3. If submitting poems and prose simultaneously they will be considered by different editors at different times, so to be sure of a response please submit separately, via the appropriate Submittable category. Please note the Southword Journal is not currently considering unsolicited submissions of non-fiction or memoir.
4. The first page of the submission document should include an up-to-date biographical note. Nb: Works of translation where the original author is still in copyright will require the bios of both the original author and the translator. On the Southword Journal contents page, the poem will be listed under the name of the original author, and the translator will be credited on the poem/story's page itself.
5. Poems and prose (in English and Irish) are considered between January and March 15th each year for our summer issue. Everything except for Fiction in English is considered between July and September 15th for our winter issue; fiction writers have an opportunity to submit their work to the Seán Ó Faoláin competition earlier in the year for this issue. PLEASE NOTE after the close of the submission date the editors will make a selection. Authors will be able to check the status of their submission via their profile on Submittable. Please note that due to the large volume of submissions received, the editor may take up to 8 weeks after the submission deadline to make their decision.
2. Work should be submitted in one of the following file formats: .doc, .docx, .txt, .rtf. If sending multiple poems, please submit each poem in separate documents. (This allows you & the judge to withdraw, reject or accept pieces individually). There is a strict submission limit of six poems or two short fiction pieces of 3000 words each. Authors are paid €30 per poem and/or €120 per story published in Southword Journal. If the writer lives outside of Ireland, they will be paid by Paypal. (Information on how to set up a Paypal account: http://www.paypal.com ).
3. If submitting poems and prose simultaneously they will be considered by different editors at different times, so to be sure of a response please submit separately, via the appropriate Submittable category. Please note the Southword Journal is not currently considering unsolicited submissions of non-fiction or memoir.
4. The first page of the submission document should include an up-to-date biographical note. Nb: Works of translation where the original author is still in copyright will require the bios of both the original author and the translator. On the Southword Journal contents page, the poem will be listed under the name of the original author, and the translator will be credited on the poem/story's page itself.
5. Poems and prose (in English and Irish) are considered between January and March 15th each year for our summer issue. Everything except for Fiction in English is considered between July and September 15th for our winter issue; fiction writers have an opportunity to submit their work to the Seán Ó Faoláin competition earlier in the year for this issue. PLEASE NOTE after the close of the submission date the editors will make a selection. Authors will be able to check the status of their submission via their profile on Submittable. Please note that due to the large volume of submissions received, the editor may take up to 8 weeks after the submission deadline to make their decision.
